BS Yediyurappa gets his way as picks nominated to council

BENGALURU: Days after the party leadership rejected his choices for the legislative council, chief minister BS Yediyurappa seems to have finally had his way, if the five names nominated by the governor on Wednesday are an indication.
Former ministers AH Vishwanath and CP Yogeshwar, and BJP women’s wing president Bharathi Shetty — all Yediyurappa’s picks — were nominated to the upper house by governor Vajubhai Vala after a brief meeting with the CM.The other two are Talwar Sabanna, an economics professor at Rani Chennamma University, Belagavi, and Shantharama Budna Siddi, an activist from Uttara Kannada working for tribal welfare.
As per party sources, the nomination of Yogeshwar, an actor-turned-politician, came as a surprise since Yediyurappa had not recommended his name in his first list but was reportedly forced to include it following a diktat from the party brass. Yogeshwar has been rewarded for his role in managing rebel MLAs, which led to fall of the Congress-JD (S) coalition. Sources said he had fallen out with Yediyurappa of late but managed to get in with the backing of a top BJP leader in Delhi.
Vishwanath’s nomination has come as a big relief for Yediyurappa since he was under intense pressure from not only the ex-MLA but also other ministers, who had defected from Congress and JD(S). Yediyurappa had recommended the names of MTB Nagaraj, R Shankar and Vishwanath in June, when polls to seven council seats were held. However, the party had rejected Vishwanath’s name since he had unsuccessfully contested last year’s bypolls.
The fear that Vishwanath will not keep quiet if denied the nomination worked in his favour, said a senior BJP functionary. The former MLA had already hinted he would write a book on Operation Lotus, detailing the stay of 16 Congress-JD(S) MLAs in Mumbai. “I knew my sacrifice would be rewarded. I thank the CM for having kept his word,” said Vishwanath.
The party leadership’s rejection of the state unit’s choices for two Rajya Sabha seats in June had only given credence to talks of Yediyurappa’s waning influence at the Delhi level. With the nomination of Vishwanath, 15 of the 17 turncoats have returned as legislators.
2 SURPRISE CANDIDATES
In tune with the party’s newfound policy, the BJP brass sprang a surprise by nominating Sabanna and Siddi.
Edu crusader who dons prof’s hat
From a small village called Bhankur in Kalaburagi district, Talawar Sabanna is head of department of economics at RCU, Belagavi. He has been teaching economics for 23 years and is known for his work among the SC/ST and backward communities, the poor and women. He has been spreading awareness on education and has brought many to the mainstream. On his nomination, Sabanna said: “I could not believe it for a moment. I thank BJP leaders for recognising my work. I will use this opportunity for the betterment of society.”
First Siddi member in council
Shantharama Budna Siddi is the first member from the backward Siddi tribe to enter the legislative council. Shantharama, 55, has been working for the uplift of various tribal communities, including Siddi, Gowli and Kunabis, in the deep forests of Yellapur and Haliyal taluks of Uttara Kannada. He’s the first graduate from his community, which is believed to have origins in east Africa. He’s Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram’s state secretary.